


And Then ... You

by goodbye_winter



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Architect Alec Lightwood, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Family, Fashion Designer Magnus Bane, Fluff, Friendship, M/M, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-03 03:53:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14560290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodbye_winter/pseuds/goodbye_winter
Summary: Magnus Bane has gotten into a lot of scrapes over the years but getting engaged to a stranger in a coma is a bit much even for him. And things only get more complicated when he starts to fall for his fake fiance's brother.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I thought I'd try writing for Malec for the first time with a "While You Were Sleeping" AU that no one asked for.

He’d walked into Magnus Bane’s life right when he needed him.

Magnus had been bent over a sketchpad, designing a beautiful, if somewhat gothic, pair of pants for his new collection. He’d been in a foul mood having run into his horrible ex Camille and her latest boy toy.

It had taken every ounce of Magnus’ preservations skills to face her with a nonchalance he didn’t at all feel. They’d both left the meeting worse for wear and Magnus had gone to his favourite cafe to lick his wounds and pour the negative energy into a more positive outlet.

He hadn’t been there long before the man breezed in like a breath of fresh air. The man wasn’t Magnus’ usual type but the blond hair, the pearly white smile and the sparkling bright eyes were the very antithesis of everything Camille and just what he needed that day.

And so it had begun, Jace – Magnus had learned his name after taking a peak at his coffee cup one morning – would waltz into the cafe every morning between 8 and 9 am to get his daily cup of coffee and Magnus would watch him put smiles on all the baristas faces before he headed on his way. 

Magnus would find himself smiling too because while Jace was an unconscionable flirt, he brought with him an energy that was hard to deny. There was something easy about him – uncomplicated – and Magnus could use a little uncomplicated in his life.  
  
Camille had put him through the wringer more times than he could count. Their relationship had been passionate, dramatic and at times thrilling but it had also been soul sucking, demoralizing and exhausting.  
  
It was no wonder that he gravitated towards Jace who was her complete opposite.   

Three months had passed and Magnus had yet to make a move. Although they’d shared a smile or two over the course of that time, they’d never spoken. Magnus kind of preferred it that way.

It wasn’t out of the ordinary for him to jump into relationships or into bed quickly with people he didn’t know very well. And considering how quickly those relationships seemed to fizzle out that method wasn’t leading to much success in the romance department.

It wasn’t until the holidays had rolled in like an unwanted houseguest that Magnus had decided to finally make a move.

Christmas had always been his most hated holiday. When your parents were gone and you had no relatives to turn to, the holidays were just a reminder of what you didn’t have. But Magnus had never truly been alone since he’d moved to New York. He’d always had his friends, Ragnor, Catarina or Raphael to turn to during the holiday. This year, however, would be different.

Ragnor was in Europe on a press tour for his newest book and Catarina, as his publicist, was alongside with him. Raphael had just gotten engaged to his boyfriend of two years, Simon, and although he’d invited Magnus over for Christmas day, Magnus didn’t want to be a third wheel during their first holiday as an engaged couple.

So it was on a chilly Christmas Eve morning that Magnus found himself trudging through the snow to his favourite cafe, hoping to see the brilliant smile of a certain handsome blond.

He’d just taken a seat, sipping on his large peppermint cappuccino, when Jace rushed in talking frantically to someone on his phone.

“Well, I know I shouldn’t have waited last minute, Iz, but you know how impossible it is to buy stuff for Alec. He only wears black. Are we sure he’s even a Lightwood? He has no style.”

Maia, the barista working that morning, mouthed “the usual?” as he walked up to the counter. He grinned at her, nodded then turned back to his conversation, a frown settling on his face. “Will you stop lecturing me and tell me what I should get him!” he hissed at the phone.

Magnus raised a brow, his mouth curling up into a smile. This was a new facet to Jace’s personality he hadn’t seen before. It was refreshing to see another side of the lighthearted man he had been crushing on over the last few months.

“You’re punishing me aren’t you? That’s why you keep giving me these terrible ideas,” Jace was saying to the person on the other line as he picked up his order. He nodded goodbye to Maia and turned to leave.

A bolt of panic shot through Magnus as he watched Jace’s back move away. He’d decided that today would be the day. He would finally introduce himself to Jace. Invite him to his table for a chat and see what could happen from there. But Jace was already walking away and Magnus knew that he’d have to do it now before he completely lost his nerve.

He jumped out of his seat, leaving his drink behind and pushed outside into the blistering cold. 

He paused for a second, head swiveling to see where Jace had gone and glimpsed streaks of golden hair only a few feet away. Jace had stopped at an intersection and was typing on his phone.

Pulse racing, Magnus turned towards him, pace quickening as Jace stepped off the sidewalk to cross the street.  


A horn blasted and he looked over to see a car swerving out of the way of a truck that had run a red light. The driver hit a patch of ice and barely managed to avoid hitting another car as his car spun out of control.

Even as Magnus’ his eyes widened with horror as the car veered towards Jace, his feet, through some uncontrollable force, flew beneath him towards the man.

 _You are insane_ , said a voice, sounding remarkably like Raphael, inside his head, as he hurtled towards the blond and pushed him out of the way mere seconds before the car barreled past where Jace had just been.

Heart thundering in his ears, Magnus barely heard the crowd surrounding him as he looked down at the man beneath him. He gasped. Jace was perfectly still and his eyes were closed.

Magnus shuffled backwards onto the cold ground. “Help,” he said frantically to the crowd. “Help him.”

The ambulance came minutes later.


	2. Chapter 2

The last time he’d been in a hospital, Magnus had watched his mother take her last breath. 

Thirteen years. It had been thirteen years and he still missed her like crazy. His father had been killed in a car accident right before Magnus’s third birthday so he didn’t remember him much but by the way his mother’s normally warm eyes would turn to ice whenever Magnus asked about him, Magnus figured that not knowing him was probably for the best. 

With two parents gone by the age of fifteen, he’d had to grow up fast. 

His last two years of high school were less about hooking up and partying and more about working as many hours as he could while keeping his grades up. He wasn’t going to disappoint his mother in the afterlife. He was going to beat the odds and make something of himself. 

Once he’d graduated at the top of his class, he moved to New York to study fashion. 

It had been a necessary change that had broadened his life in ways he couldn’t possibly have imagined. He’d met his closest friends there, fell in and out of lust and love more times that he could count, worked under some of the most legendary designers in the world, and in just a few months he was about to launch his own fashion label Bane.

But as full as his life had been so far, and set to become fuller with his launch, he’d always felt an emptiness inside him that was aching to be filled. 

Now the person who could’ve possibly filled it, was lying unconscious somewhere in this hospital. 

“Mr. Bane?”

Magnus’ head jerked up. A woman in blue scrubs and a stethoscope around her neck stood in front of him. 

“I believe you saved the patient’s life?”

He stood up from the plastic chair, nodding. “From the accident yes. Although I may have caused more damage trying to save him. Is he still unconscious?”

She hesitated. “He’s in a coma.”

Breath lodging in his throat, Magnus took a shaky step back. “Will he...”

She shook her head. “He’s not in any danger that we can see. He’s young, he’s healthy, his brain waves and vital signs look good. I don’t like to give people false hope, Mr. Bane, but he should come out of this.”

Magnus unclenched his fists and nodded. If he’d somehow made the situation worse he’d never be able to live with himself.

“What you did was very brave,” she continued. “Is he someone to you?”

He paused, his mouth lifting in a small sad smile. “He could have been.”

She nodded like she understood. “That makes what you did even braver. You saved his life, Mr. Bane.” She turned around as if to go before swivelling back. “We’ve called Mr. Lightwood’s emergency contact so you don’t have to stay if there’s somewhere else you need to be. It’s Christmas eve after all.”

“I have nowhere else to be,” he said hollowly.

She stared at him for a moment and then nodded. “I’m sure his parents would like to meet the person who saved their son’s life. Have a good night.”

“You too,” he said, watching her go.

He did not intend to stay long enough to meet Jace’s family but Magnus knew that he wouldn’t get any peace of mind until he saw Jace for himself.

He walked down the hall to the part of the floor that housed the intensive care unit and walked through the big swinging doors. 

“Can I help you?” The nurse at the ICU desk asked as she pushed out of her seat. 

“I’m looking for Jace Lightwood.”

“I’m sorry but you can’t be in here unless you’re a family member and even then you need an appointment,” she said apologetically. 

“I am a family member,” Magnus said baldly. “Or, at least, I will be. We’re engaged.” 

_What is wrong with you?_ A voice said inside his head, that voice sounding again like Raphael, but Magnus blustered on. “The last time I saw him was seconds after I’d saved him from being smashed into a thousand pieces. I just want to see for myself that he’s okay. Please,” he glanced at the nurse’s nametag, “Patricia, please help me see him for a few minutes, then I’ll go.”

Patricia looked torn for a moment and then she sighed. “I think I can allow a few moments for a hero. Come along.”

He followed her down a set of hallways before she stopped at a room at the end. “Just a few minutes,” she said before turning away.

Magnus hesitated at the door before he walked inside.

He moved with trepidation, the dread he’d felt so many years ago walking up to a hospital bed just like this rushed back to him with a vengeance. 

He stopped at the end of the bed, his eyes drifting over Jace, who was unnervingly still, the only thing breaking the daunting silence were the beeps of the machines surrounding him. 

“Hey,” he said quietly. “You don’t- you don’t know me but I’m Magnus. Magnus Bane.” He chuckled. “This wasn’t the way I’d imagined introducing myself to you but here we are.”

He edged closer to the side of the bed. “I don’t know a lot about you, Jace, but based on what I’ve seen over the last few months, I think you’re a fighter. Come out of this, okay? You have people; family, friends who I know would miss you if you’re not around. I would miss you. Which is crazy right considering we’ve never really met but I—,”

“What do you mean we can’t all go in? We’re his family!” 

Magnus jerked around abruptly as a woman dressed in a long black coat came storming into the room, followed by a younger women who had a striking resemblance to her, a boy that could be no older than ten, and a man in a sharp suit.

Patricia entered behind them. “Please, Mrs. Lightwood, please keep your voice down,” she said frantically. 

“I will not!” Mrs. Lightwood snarled. 

“Honey, please,” the man, Mr. Lightwood Magnus guessed, said trying to hush her as she stared daggers at the nurse.

The younger woman ignored them all and rushed over to Jace’s bed, tears in her eyes. “You idiot,” she whispered as she stared down at him. “You’re supposed to be buying horrible Christmas presents.”

Magnus edged back, wondering if he could slip out of the room before anyone noticed he was there. He hadn’t expected to have a run in with Jace’s family and he didn’t want to explain who he was and why he was in there.

He continued to step back hoping that he could drift into the shadows when they were all surrounding Jace’s bed but he’d used up all his luck earlier in the day and the little boy shifted his gaze to him. 

“Who are you?” he asked, his voice echoing through the room. 

The rest of the family turned almost as one to stare in his direction and Magnus barely constrained a cringe. 

“That’s his fiancé,” Patricia said matter-of-factly even as her brows furrowed in confusion.

Magnus turned to look at the nurse in shock, his eyes widening. How quickly that lie had come back to bite him in the ass. 

“Fiancé?” Mrs. Lightwood exclaimed. “Jace is getting married and he didn’t think to tell me?” 

Mr. Lightwood looked confused. “Wasn’t he going out with that redheaded girl?” 

“He and Clary broke up a while ago,” the younger woman responded, inspecting Magnus from head to toe.

Magnus barely stopped himself from stepping back under the calculated gaze that was fixed on him. 

It was time for him to tell them the truth and get out of there. He’d seen for himself that Jace was okay. There was no point in sticking around.

He was about to open up his mouth to speak, when the doctor he’d spoken to earlier walked into the room, carrying a folder. If the occupants in the room surprised her, she didn’t show it. 

“You must be Mr. Lightwood’s family members,” she said kindly.

Her eyes wandered to Magnus and her brows twitched indicating some surprise but her next words gave no hint that she was questioning Magnus’ presence in the room. “I see you’ve all met Mr. Bane, the hero of the hour.”

“Hero?” Mrs. Lightwood said, as they all went back to staring at Magnus like he was some rare breed.

“He pushed your son out of the way from what could have been a catastrophic car accident. It may not seem like it now seeing him lying in this bed but your son has every chance of recovering from the fall. I don’t know if I would’ve been able to say the same had he been hit by that car.”

Magnus could tell that the doctor thought she was helping him, probably assuming that the family would blame him for putting their family member in this situation, but all he wanted to do was slip away and now he wouldn’t be able to do that. The Lightwoods would probably have a million questions about what happened to their son and he just didn’t want to relive that moment again.

“Thank you for what you did,” Mr. Lightwood was the first person to respond, walking towards Magnus with his hand outstretched. 

Magnus bit his lip, gripping the man’s hand. “Anyone would have done the same,” he said feeling extremely uncomfortable. 

“No, I don’t think that’s true,” Mrs. Lightwood said stepping beside her husband. “But I do think it’s something someone who loves my son would do. What is your given name, Mr. Bane?”

Magnus swallowed, glancing away for a moment before he looked back into Mrs. Lightwood’s dark eyes. “Magnus, Mrs. Lightwood.”

“Well, Magnus,” she said, a soft smile gracing her face for the first time since she’d walked into the room, “I think it must be fate that the man he cares for was there to save his life. Can I – Can I hug you?” 

Magnus wanted to say no, wanted to tell her that he and Jace didn’t even know each other, but the tremulous smile and the barely held back tears in her eyes told him that she was barely holding it together. He nodded.

She took a step towards him and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you for saving my son’s life,” she whispered. 

He closed his eyes, sinking into the embrace for the briefest moment. A mother’s hug was like nothing else and he couldn’t help but wish that it was true. That he really was Jace’s fiancé and he was part of this family. 

But he wasn’t and it would be cruel to continue a lie that would add to these people’s pain.

He pulled away. “You don’t have to thank me, Mrs. Lightwood.”

“Maryse, please,” she said stepping back. “You’re part of the family now.”

Magnus shook his head. “There’s something you—”

“Can I get a hug too, future brother-in-law?” The beautiful young woman said wrapping her arms around him before he could continue with his confession.

“I’m Isabelle, by the way, if you didn’t know,” she said, stepping back with a slight smile. “I don’t know where Jace has been hiding you but I gotta say I’m impressed. You’re almost too hot for my brother,” she said with a wink. “You have to tell me where you got that eye shadow later, okay?” She pulled away and slipped back to Jace’s bedside. 

Mr. Lightwood had already turned back to the doctor, peppering her with questions about the state of his son’s health and soon the rest of the Lightwood clan were surrounding Jace’s bedside listening to the doctor as she explained her diagnosis. 

In their distraction, they didn’t notice Magnus slip out of the room, pulling Patricia with him. 

He dragged her to the end of the hallway. 

“What are you doing?” she huffed when Magnus dropped his hand.

“Why did you tell them that I’m Jace’s fiancé?”

Patricia stared at him in disbelief. “Because you are.”

“I’m not his fiancé!”

“You told me you were!” she exclaimed. “You lied to me?”

Magnus didn’t even have the decency to look ashamed. “Yes! Of course I lied to you. You wouldn’t have let me see him otherwise!”

The nurse shook her head, staring at him incredulously. “Those people think you’re engaged to their son. Are you going to tell them the truth?”

“I was going to but now I’m starting to think that I should just disappear from this place with none of them the wiser. ”

“You would do that?” she said accusingly. 

“Yes!” He sighed. “No. But how can I tell them now?” 

The Lightwoods were going through enough. How could he go into that hospital room and admit that he’d - unintentionally - deceived them? And a part of him, as ridiculous as it was considering he’d just met these people, didn’t want their welcoming faces turn to looks of disgust. He didn’t have the strength to face it just now.

“Based on what you did for that man today, I don’t believe you did this maliciously but misleading that family would be wrong. You need to tell them the truth or I’ll have to.” Patricia’s eyes wandered back to the nurse’s station where an older woman was waiting. “I have to get back. Please think about what I said.”

Magnus watched her go, contemplating taking the coward’s way out and hightailing it out of there never to see the Lightwoods again, but as he was making his decision, Isabelle’s head poked out of Jace’s room. 

“Magnus!” she called, beckoning him over. 

He took one last look at the exit before he sighed and made his way reluctantly over to her. 

“Max and I are going to go get some food to bring back. Did you want to come with us? It’d be nice to get to know the man our brother’s going to marry,” she said softly.

Magnus hesitated, trying to come up with a plausible excuse for not joining them.

“Oh, it’s Christmas eve! You probably have plans, right?” she asked looking disappointed. 

He wanted to latch onto the excuse but the look in her eyes had him opening his mouth and agreeing to join them.

Her eyes brightening with pleasure almost suppressed the feeling of guilt that washed over him. Almost.

...

“So how did you meet my brother?”

Magnus looked up from his slice of pizza to see both Max and Isabelle looking at him inquisitively.

He’d known this might come up but he hadn’t had time to plan an elaborate story. The only thing he could really do was stick as closely to the truth as possible and hope they didn't ask too many questions. 

“We met at a cafe that I go to every day. The first time I saw him, I just knew...” Magnus smiled at the memory, “I knew he was special.”

Isabelle clutched her hands, her smiling brightening, even as tears welled up in her eyes. “People are drawn to Jace. That’s his gift.”

Magnus nodded, understanding it all too well. “I just had to meet him. So the next time he came in, I introduced myself and the rest is the history.”

“I can’t believe he didn’t tell us about you,” she said with wonderment. “You must be pretty special to him, Magnus. He keeps the things that matter the most to him pretty close to his chest.” 

Magnus looked away from her earnest eyes and back down at his pizza.

“Are you a model?” a voice piped up beside her. 

Magnus looked at Max, who was in the middle of working on his second slice of pizza, and smiled. “No. But I do work in the fashion industry.”

Isabelle straightened, the excitement clear on her face. “Really? What do you do?”

“I’m a fashion designer.”

“Of course you are!” she said animatedly. “You have way too much style to be anything else.” She sat back, shaking her head. “Cool, hot and a fashion designer? Honestly, Jace has all the luck.”

Magnus laughed. “Maybe one day I can design something for you,” he said, already thinking of the clothes he could make for someone as beautiful as Isabelle. 

And then he immediately regretted it. What was he doing? He shouldn’t be making promises that would have him connecting with Jace’s family any further. He needed to get far away from them.

Isabelle beamed. “I would love that!” 

He nodded slowly. “You’re pretty stylish. You don’t really need my help. But it’d be my pleasure.”

“When you spend most of your day in a lab coat, you take any opportunity to dress up,” she said with a laugh.

So Isabelle was some kind of scientist then. She seemed young for the title – she couldn’t be past twenty-two or twenty-three, so maybe she was still in university. 

“You’re still in school, right?” Magnus said, hoping he’d guessed right.

Isabelle smiled. “Yeah. Just started grad school in September. Working on that PhD.”

“That’s incredible, Isabelle. Beauty and brains, an unstoppable combination,” he said with a wink.

“I should have met you first,” she said winking back.

The conversation flowed from there. Much too easily, Magnus thought briefly. He could count on one hand the people he’d been able to talk to this easily after knowing them for such a small time. He and Isabelle could have been good friends had they met under different circumstances. 

Once the truth came out, he doubted she’d ever want to speak to him again. 

“We should probably head back,” Isabelle said after eyeing her phone. “Mom just sent me a text. She says she has something to ask you, Magnus.”

Magnus grimaced. “She does?”

She nodded. “Do you mind coming back with us?”

He sighed. “Of course not.” 

When they got back to the hospital, Jace’s parents were just coming out of his room, tugging their coats back on.

“Magnus,” Mrs. Light— Maryse said walking up to him. “You may already have plans tomorrow but we’d love it if you could join us for Christmas dinner. We’ll be spending Christmas morning with Jace and then we’re heading back to the house for our usual festivities. It’s what Jace would’ve wanted.”

“No one likes a party like Jace likes a party,” Isabelle said with a smile. 

Mr. Lightwood handed Magnus a business card with a handwritten address on the back. “Our address. Please join us if you can. It’ll be like having our son with us.”

Magnus stared at the address, doing his best not to show his distress on his face. How could he join them and prolong this farce? He couldn’t. 

He’d have to lie about having something else to do. It was Christmas, after all. They could assume that he’d be spending it with his family. They didn’t have to know that he had no family to share it with. 

His heart clenched at the thought. Alone on Christmas. He was hardly looking forward to it. 

“And you’ll get to meet Alec!” Max piped in. “He’ll be flying in tomorrow.”

Alec, right. Magnus had completely forgotten about the family member Jace had been panicking about not having a gift for. The last thing Magnus wanted to do was deceive another of Jace’s family members. He had to get out of it.

He looked at the Lightwoods, trying to give off an air of regret. “I’m not sure if I’ll be able to go.”

“Oh please try, Magnus,” Isabelle beseeched. “Even for a little while. I’m sure you were planning to spend some of the holidays with Jace. I think,” she looked towards Jace’s room, “I think we should be supporting each other at this time, don’t you?”

Magnus closed his eyes realizing that he was truly caught. How could he continue to turn them down now?

“I’ll try,” he said, giving as much as he could without completely committing himself to the dinner. 

“Good!” Isabelle beamed. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

He opened his mouth to baulk at her assumption but Isabelle was already rushing her family out of the area.

Max popped his head around her arms and waved at him and Magnus couldn’t help but smile and wave back.

Once they were gone, he turned his head, his gaze falling on Jace through the window of his room. “Please forgive me,” he whispered before he turned and walked away. 

He was waiting for the elevator to the hospital’s main floor when an orderly stopped him. “Mr. Bane?” 

Magnus arched a brow at him. “Yes?” 

“I was going to give this to Mrs. Lightwood but she said to leave it with you. It’s Mr. Lightwood’s things,” the man said handing Magnus a box.

Magnus took it instinctively, looking down at its contents, which consisted of a wallet, a set of keys, and his, now slightly cracked, phone. 

“Thanks,” he said softly, knowing it was pointless to fight it.

He turned towards the elevator more than ready to go home. It had been one of the longest days of his life and he couldn’t wait for it to be over.

Maybe tomorrow would be better, he thought and then snorted.

Probably not.


	3. Chapter 3

Magnus found himself back at the hospital on Christmas Day. Even though he’d seen Jace the day before, he couldn’t stay away, wanting to know if there was any news on his condition. 

He slipped by the nurse’s station and quickened his pace down the hall before slipping into Jace’s room with no one the wiser.

Magnus was pleased to see that the Lightwoods were nowhere to be seen. He hadn’t decided yet if he was going to attend their Christmas dinner and he was glad to avoid the feeling of guilt that he experienced whenever they were around. 

He moved closer to Jace’s bed and looked down at the man. Maybe it was all in his head but he looked better. There was a bit more colour in his cheeks and a softening of his brow.

Magnus felt some of the heaviness in his chest ease a little. Maybe Jace would be okay after all. Maybe the Lightwoods would get their Christmas miracle, he thought with a soft smile.

“Who are you?” An accusatory voice said from behind him.

Startled, he spun around, heart racing, and met the eyes of one of the most attractive men he’d ever seen. 

Magnus let his eyes drift over a chiseled jaw, dark thick hair and eyes that were a beautiful but piercing hazel.

The man was tall, even taller than Magnus, and had the type of model physique that meant he probably looked good in whatever he wore. Magnus bit his bottom lip, fingers twitching as he thought about the man draped in one of his designs. 

“What are you doing in my brother’s room?” The man demanded, stepping further into the room.

As beautiful as he was, and he was beautiful, Magnus did not like the man’s attitude – who, he guessed, was likely the missing Alec Lightwood. 

Knowing he should excuse himself and leave but feeling piqued at the tone, Magnus straightened his back and cocked a brow at the man. “Hello Alec. How was your flight?” he asked confidently.

The man’s brows rose, his mouth opening slightly in surprise. “I don’t believe we’ve met,” he said, tone now bewildered.

Magnus smiled, his bright dazzling smile that usually charmed the pants off of men and women alike. “That’s because we haven’t.”

He glanced back at Jace, his eyes drifting back over his face ensuring that the colour in his cheeks was still there. Satisfied, he crossed the room to stand right in front of Alec.

He was so close that he could smell the woodsy soap that Alec used and Magnus had to admit that the man smelled divine. 

“I’m Magnus Bane.”

Alec watched him curiously and this close Magnus could see the flecks of green in his eyes. “And you know my brother?”

“Would I be here if I didn’t?” Magnus responded, being deliberatively evasive. 

In this brief amount of time, he could already tell that Alec wasn’t anybody’s fool and Magnus didn’t think his fiancé lie would stand up if Alec started questioning him about it. 

“How do you know my brother?” Alec asked, not letting it go.

“Why the third degree?” 

“Only family is allowed back here,” Alec said sternly. “Even if you’re one of Jace’s friends, you shouldn’t be in here.”

“Don’t be a stick in the mud, Alexander,” Magnus drawled, not knowing if he even went by the name but wanting to needle him anyway. 

As beautiful as Jace’s brother was, he was also a real pain in the ass. 

Alec’s eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth to speak but Magnus cut him off before he could say another word. “Not to worry. I was just leaving.” He took another glance at Jace. “His colour is much better today than it was yesterday. I’m sure he’ll appreciate hearing the sound of your voice.”

He looked back at Alec and his heart skipped a beat when he realized that the man was still watching him. “Goodbye,” he said before turning to leave.

“Hey,” Alec said reaching out to him. “Wait.”

Magnus pulled back.

“Look,” Alec said rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m sorry if I’ve been rude. I’ve been going a little bit crazy since I found out about the accident. I came here directly from the airport and I was just surprised to see someone like you standing by his bed—”

“Someone like me?” Magnus sputtered.

A splash of red coloured Alec’s cheeks. “No, that’s not—I didn’t mean it like—You’re flashy and beautiful and look like you stepped off a magazine cover...” Alec clamped his mouth shut and groaned. “Never mind.”

“And forget that you said that I’m beautiful? Never,” Magnus said, biting back a smile. He really shouldn’t be so easily charmed by the man but Magnus had always had a weakness for a pretty face. 

“Apology, by the way, accepted,” he continued. “But I really must be going.” 

“So how do you know Jace again?” Alec asked but this time there was a sparkle in his eyes. 

Magnus laughed and moved backwards towards the door. “Goodbye, Alexander.” 

Alec smiled slightly, watching him for another moment before turning back to walk towards Jace’s bedside.

Magnus’ gaze lingered on his back, admiring the breadth and strength and then shook his head to clear it.

He shouldn’t be admiring anything about Jace’s brother, ridiculously attractive or not.

And if he knew what was good for him, he would take this as his final meeting with the Lightwoods and have a clean break from the family once and for all. 

Which was why it was so perplexing that at six that evening he found himself standing outside the Lightwoods brick colonial with a bottle of champagne in his hand. 

No one ever said Magnus knew what was good for him.

...

“Magnus, you shouldn’t have,” Maryse said, passing the bottle of champagne to Isabelle as he stepped into the spacious hallway. 

“Let me take your coat,” she added, when he slipped out of his burgundy top coat. 

He looked around the entry, impressed by the size and airiness of the house itself. It was the type of elegant space that Magnus would have expected in a house that Maryse lived in. For the first time, he wondered what Jace’s parents actually did for a living. Based on the size and proximity to the city, the house wouldn’t have come cheap.

“You look stunning, Maryse,” he said once he turned back to his hostess who looked lovely in a red wrap dress.

“Thank you,” she said with a smile. 

He turned to kiss Isabelle on the cheek. “As do you, my dear.”

She grinned. “Naturally. And you look as dashing as I’ve come to expect from you, Magnus,” she said taking in his black embroidered pants paired with a burgundy button up layered, with black onyx necklaces.

He winked. “Naturally.”

They ushered him down the hall and into a large, white living room where Mr. Lightwood was throwing logs into a fireplace and Max was sitting reading a comic book.

“Hey Magnus!” Max called when he saw Magnus enter the room.

“Hey Max. Hello Mr. Lightwood.”

Mr. Lightwood dusted his hands together and nodded at him. “You better start calling me Robert since you’re going to be a part of this family soon.”

Magnus inhaled slowly before nodding. “Okay, Robert.”

He looked around, his eyes searching for a tall dark haired man and found himself disappointed when he realized that Alec wasn’t there. 

As if she noticed his distraction and the reason for it, Isabelle came to stand beside him. “My brother, Alec, is running a bit late but he’ll be joining us for dinner.”

He nodded and felt butterflies in his stomach at the thought of meeting the man again. 

Alec had been something of a surprise to him. He hadn’t expected Jace’s brother to be Jace’s complete opposite. Tall, dark-haired, serious. He was nothing like Jace. And it worried him that he’d felt the tiniest spark of interest when they’d clashed in Jace’s hospital room. The last thing he needed or wanted was to find another Lightwood attractive. Especially the brother of his fake fiancé who was lying in a hospital bed with a coma. 

He wondered how Alec would react when he found out that the man he’d been so distrustful of was actually his brother’s “fiancé”. Based on the little he knew of the man, Magnus had the feeling that he wouldn’t buy it immediately. The man was sceptical to his bones. 

And even though Magnus had spent the afternoon developing stories about his relationship with Jace, aided by the information found in Jace’s wallet and his phone (the man apparently didn’t believe in locking his phone) , he really didn’t know how good he’d be at reciting the tales with Alec’s hazel eyes scrutinizing his every move. 

To distract himself from worrying about the man, he asked Isabelle what she thought about the latest Project Runway episode and soon became engrossed in a conversation about pop culture. 

So much so that twenty minutes later when Alec walked in, he didn’t even notice. 

“Alec!” 

Magnus’s head whipped around as Max tossed his comic book aside and raced to his brother. 

Alec grinned as he picked up the boy and Magnus almost sighed at the sight. Alec had a beautiful smile. It made an already beautiful face glow. 

He swallowed and looked away.

“Magnus,” Isabelle said, getting up from her seat. “Come meet Alec.” 

She grabbed him by the arm, leaving him little choice but to follow her. 

“Hey, big bro,” she said as Alec was putting Max down. 

“Izzy,” Alec began then his eyes flitted over to Magnus and his mouth dropped. Magnus would have laughed at the comical look of surprise on his face if his stomach wasn’t doing somersaults at the moment. 

“Magnus?”

Magnus inhaled and exhaled slowly and tried to smile nonchalantly. “Alexander, we meet again.”

“What are you—”

“You know each other?” Isabelle asked, her brows furrowing. “Don’t tell me Jace introduced you guys and left me out of it!” 

“What?” Alec glanced at his sister. “I just met him earlier today at the hospital.” He turned back to Magnus. “So you really are close to Jace seeing that you’re here on Christmas day with my family.”

Magnus rolled his eyes. “I thought we’d cleared that up earlier.”

“We did,” Alec said with a lopsided smile that made Magnus’s stomach flip. “But there’s nothing wrong with seeing the proof. Now are you going to tell me how you know Jace or do I have to guess?” he asked that sparkle back in his eyes. 

Magnus huffed out a laugh and shrugged. He refused to say it with his own lips.

Isabelle, having watched the back and forth, jumped in. “Magnus is Jace’s boyfriend – well, fiancé to be exact. Can you believe it? Our brother is getting married.” Sadness appeared in her eyes for a moment before she smiled brightly. “I can’t wait until he’s out of that coma so I can kick his ass for not telling anyone.”

“Fiancé?” Alec sputtered. “Impossible,” he said giving Magnus a dumbfounded look. 

His voice was so loud that Max, Maryse and Robert all turned to look at them. 

Magnus tried to ignore their eyes and raised his chin defiantly. “Does that surprise you?” he asked, cocking his brow. 

Alec blinked. “Jace has never said anything about you,” he said finally. “Ever.” 

“I asked him to keep us quiet,” Magnus lied. “Everything happened so quickly – I wanted to make sure that we were certain about each other before we brought family into it.”

“How did you guys get engaged anyway?” Isabelle asked as she leaned against the back of one of the sofas.

“It was at my home after we’d had a quiet dinner. He simply looked at me and asked.”

Magnus had decided to keep the stories simple. The less complicated the story, the less he’d have to remember and considering he didn’t know a lot about Jace he didn’t want to elaborate on something and have it seem totally out of character for the man.

“He always told me when he got engaged he’d do it big, make an event out of it. I’m surprised he didn’t fly a banner over your house,” Isabelle laughed.

Alec frowned, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Magnus. “Yeah, he did.”

Magnus smiled serenely, hoping that his uneasiness wasn’t showing on his face. “Honestly, I think it took him by surprise almost as much as it took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting it.” 

“Jace tells me everything. I’m surprised he didn’t tell me about you.”

“Like I said, everything happened so quickly. It’s been kind of a whirlwind romance.”

“Whirlwind?” Alec folded his arms in front of him. “Sounds like you guys got engaged before you even got to know each other.”

“Whether that’s true or not, that’s really none of your business, is it?” Magnus retorted.

“Anything that could hurt my family is my business,” Alec snapped back.

“Boys!” Maryse rushed to stand between them.

Magnus stepped back surprised to find that he’d moved closer to Alec in the middle of their argument and they were only inches apart. 

“Alec, what has gotten into you?” Maryse hissed. “Why are you behaving this way?”

“Don’t you think it’s a bit weird that Jace, who is notoriously afraid of commitment, got engaged to someone without telling anyone? Someone who is so far removed from the people he usually dates at that.”

Magnus bristled. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Alec shrugged. “You’re not Jace’s usual type.”

“Meaning what exactly?”

Alec shrugged. “Meaning... all the people he’s ever dated have been appealing in some way but he doesn’t like to be overshadowed.” He gestured toward Magnus. “You’re- you’re –”

“Too flashy?” Magnus mocked, repeating Alec’s words from earlier that day.

Alec opened his mouth to say more but Robert stepped into the fray. “That’s enough,” the man said steely. “It’s Christmas and Magnus is our guest. Yesterday with no concern for himself he saved Jace’s life and we are in his debt.”He put his hand on Magnus’ shoulder. “Magnus you are always welcome here.”

Magnus bit his lip and looked away, unable to meet Robert’s gaze. 

While Robert’s defense was appreciated he didn’t deserve it. Alec was right. Magnus didn’t belong here. He was a fraud.

He shouldn’t have come. Why had he? Why had he decided to prolong this farce knowing that it could only lead to pain for this family? 

Because he was lonely? 

Because he’d woken up that morning feeling dread? Because he’d spent most of the day cuddled up to his cat watching a BBC miniseries and pretending that he didn’t long to have what other people had this time of the year? 

Ragnor, Cat and Raphael were friends who had become family and they meant everything to him but even now well into his adulthood he still felt the sting and the ache of losing his mother.

And while the Lightwoods could never truly take her place, it had felt good to be embraced by a family who clearly loved each other and to be treated like he belonged. 

God was that selfish.

“I appreciate your hospitality,” he said softly, eyes brushing over the Lightwood clan without meeting any of their eyes, “but I think I should go.”

He took a step back, already moving towards the front door.

“No, don’t, Magnus!” Isabelle exclaimed. She whipped around to her brother. “Alec, are you serious? You’re going to make someone so uncomfortable that they want to leave on _Christmas_!”

Magnus shook his head. “That’s not why I’m—”

“No,” Maryse cut him off, glaring at Alec, “don’t lie as to why you’re leaving, Magnus. You don’t have to go because our son lost all sense of civility.” 

Alec held up his hands. “Whoa, wait. I didn’t know that Magnus saved Jace’s life. I—”

“That shouldn’t matter. I did not raise you to be rude to guests in this house regardless of what they have or have not done for us,” Maryse bit out. “Magnus is our guest and if you have a problem with that you can go.”

Magnus grimaced, hating that the Lightwoods were going to battle for a con like him. “Please, I don’t want to cause any disagreements. I understand where Alec is coming from. I would be distrustful too if someone just appeared out of nowhere claiming to be my brother’s fiancé. I think it would be best if I just bowed out and let you guys enjoy your Christmas together as a family.”

He saw Maryse and Isabelle glare at Alec and even Max looked disappointed before he turned away.

He heard someone hiss something behind him as he entered the hall and then determined footsteps followed after him.

“Stop,” he heard Alec say but he ignored him, opening the coat closet to retrieve his coat. 

“Please,” Alec said stepping up beside him.

He sighed and turned to look at the man, an eyebrow raised.

Alec looked uncomfortable and, if Magnus was reading him correctly, a little guilty. “We should probably stop meeting like this,” he said, with a small awkward smile. 

“That would be nice but then you’d have to drop the suspicious brother routine and I don’t think it’s in your nature.” Magnus slid his coat on and closed the door.

“You don’t know me, Magnus,” Alec said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Or what is my nature.”

Magnus snorted. “Well, it’s not like you let me see any other sides, Alexander. There’s clearly something about me that you just don’t like.”

“That’s not—” Alec huffed out an annoyed breath. “I don’t dislike you, Magnus. I don’t,” he repeated when Magnus made a disbelieving face. “I’m just protective of my family. I don’t want to see anyone hurt them.”

“Why do you just assume that I want to hurt them?” Magnus said exasperated, knowing he shouldn’t care what Alec thought – knowing that he had no right to be offended – but caring anyway. 

“Jace always falls for a pretty face. And every single time he gets his heart broken because he doesn’t live up to their expectations. My brother always bounces back quickly from each relationship. But you,” Alec stepped closer to him, making Magnus take a step back. “You’re charming and beautiful, the most beautiful person he’s ever brought home, and I don’t think he’s going to bounce back as quickly when you break his heart.”

Magnus stared at him in disbelief. “Your arrogance and narrow-mindedness is truly something to behold.”

Alec’s eyes widened in surprise. “Excuse me?”

“You think because I’m beautiful – your words, not mine – I couldn’t possible have real feelings for anyone. That I could turn away from someone in an instance because they don’t fulfil some arbitrary list of standards? You took one look at me and you made a judgement because the outer image is more important to you than what someone’s like on the inside.”

He stepped away feeling a mixture of anger and disappointment, and turned towards the door. 

But Alec was there standing in front of it before he could yank it open and leave. 

The man still looked slightly stunned at Magnus’ words but now there was a look of shame mixed in there as well. “You’re right.”

Magnus didn’t respond, his face rigid.

“I’m not that person – I don’t want to be that person and I’m sorry.” Alec looked into Magnus’ eyes, his own sincere. “I’m sorry. I didn’t give you a chance from the second we met and that was unfair. I hope you can look past my previous behaviour and give me another chance to show that I’m not always a complete asshole on first acquaintance. Can we start over?”

Magnus stared at Alec, feeling slightly mollified by the man’s apology. He took a deep breath, making a decision, and stuck out his hand. “Magnus Bane. It’s nice to meet you.”

Alec stared at his hand for a moment and then glanced back at Magnus, relief in his eyes. “Alec Lightwood. The pleasure is mine,” he said, sliding his palm over Magnus’s. 

A spark of electricity rippled through Magnus at the touch of their hands and he pulled back, startled. 

His eyes shot to Alec and the way he was looking at his hand made Magnus realize that he might not have been the only one to feel the spark.

Alec cleared his throat and stepped back. “I hope this means you’ll reconsider staying for dinner.”

Magnus hesitated, knowing it would be better if he left. 

“I would really like to get to know you better... as my brother’s fiancé,” Alec said before looking away. “Plus you’d save me from getting murdered tonight by my family. They’ve really taken to you and would kill me if I scared you away.”

Magnus sighed, shrugging out of his coat. It was one evening. He could do this for one evening. “For the record, I’m not staying for you.” He handed Alec his coat, who took it without a word. “I just don’t want to see anyone in your family go to jail on Christmas Day,” he said. 

Alec nodded solemnly. “I think that’s fair.”

Magnus couldn’t help but laugh softly in response to which Alec smiled softly back.

“After you,” he said after hanging up Magnus’ coat, motioning for Magnus to walk in front of him.

When Magnus walked into the living room, the Lightwoods faces lit up and he figured that he’d made the right decision.

It was Christmas after all. He would walk out of their lives another day.


End file.
